Chapter 14: Lost My First Kiss.

The Uchiha incident has passed for several months, and the people in the village have gradually forgotten about it. After all, it was a matter concerning a prominent clan and had no direct impact on the villagers' lives. Moreover, with the information control by the higher-ups in Konoha, it has become no more than a topic of casual conversation over tea or meals.

"Well then, boss, I'll be leaving now. I'll come back when school vacation is over." Naruto lit a stick of incense in front of a photo of Tsukikanami. The death of Tsukikanami had been rumored to be the work of thieves, and Naruto took care of the grocery store as well. However, the deadline for that arrangement ended today, and as Naruto closed the door, the last ray of sunlight disappeared completely.

"Hinata, sorry for making you wait." Leaving the grocery store, Naruto saw Hinata standing at the entrance. The feeling of someone waiting for him and needing him gave Naruto a faint warmth in his heart, and a smile appeared on his face.

"It's okay, Naruto-kun. Are you happy?" Hinata shook her head, holding Naruto's hand. She certainly noticed the smile on Naruto's lips and knew that something had happened, but she only knew that today she came to pay respects to Naruto's boss.

"I remembered something."

"Naruto-kun, won't you stay at my house?" Hinata tugged on Naruto's palm. Tomorrow they would start attending the Ninja Academy, which was located in the center of Konoha and quite far from this remote corner. Naruto came back today to visit because he wouldn't have the time to come back in the future.

"No need. Grandpa Hokage helped me buy a house near the school. If I keep showing up at the Hyuga house, I'll cause you all trouble." Naruto declined Hinata's invitation. Although the Hyuga family didn't mind Naruto's identity, there were still some servants who were afraid of him, and several of them begged to be relocated to other parts of the estate because of him.

"That's not true. They just don't understand you, Naruto-kun. You're so kind. How could you possibly be a monster?"

Hinata tightened her grip on Naruto's hand, and she could understand what Naruto meant. It was precisely because she understood that she felt heartbroken, vehemently refuting the notion.

"I'm not as good as you say."

"I always remember that night when you desperately protected me and Neji-niisan. In my heart, you've always been a hero!"

"Um, yeah."

Naruto seemed surprised by how much Hinata agreed with him. After seeing her resolute expression, he suddenly covered his face, stuttering.

Hinata was taken aback as if she had discovered a new side of Naruto, and she looked at Naruto with half-amazement. Thinking back, it was always her face turning red from Naruto's words and actions, and today Naruto was the one being shy. No matter how you looked at it, she was very happy!

She smiled gently.

"Naruto-kun, you've always been seen as a monster since you were young."

"Yeah."

Although Hinata didn't understand why she asked that, Naruto still nodded in response.

"Everyone just hears about it and doesn't know what's strange about you, because there's no difference between your appearance and that of a normal person. But I'm different. These eyes can be seen from the outside, unlike the Uchiha clan's eyes, which can be turned off. Whenever I go out, people always see me as different. That's why I've grown to dislike going out more and more."

Hinata touched her own eyes, the Byakugan inherited from the Hyuga clan, which had caused her a lot of trouble. If it weren't for Naruto, she would probably still be hiding at home.

"But Naruto-kun, you changed me. Even though everyone hated you, you still worked hard to make them accept you. The way people look at you on this street is nothing like they're looking at a monster. Naruto-kun, who can do that, shines the brightest." "Ah, we've talked so much. It must be boring..."

Hinata suddenly realized she had said too much and worried that Naruto might find it annoying.

"Not at all. I'm happy to hear Hinata's true feelings. Although I want to keep listening, we're already here."

Naruto let go of Hinata's hand, and unconsciously, they had arrived at his new home—a small apartment building. Naruto's room was just one of the units on the second floor.

"We're already here? We've been talking for so long..."

"Do you want to go up and take a look?"

"Yes!"

Hinata nodded and followed Naruto to the second floor. After he opened the door, she saw the arrangement inside—a small, very small room with only a bed, a wardrobe, a small table, and a bathroom. In addition to that, there were several boxes on the floor. To be honest, even the bathroom in Hinata's house was bigger than this entire place.

"I've already moved everything here, although there wasn't much to move."

Those boxes were Naruto's luggage—some changes of clothes, a few ninja tools, and a few scrolls. That was all he had. Perhaps because it was too crowded, Hinata couldn't easily come in. Naruto bent down to move the boxes away.

"Let me help... Ah!"

Hinata didn't want to just stand and watch Naruto clean up, so she volunteered and squeezed into the room to help. The already small room became even more crowded, and in such a situation, Hinata accidentally bumped into a box and fell onto Naruto.

"I-I'll get up right away."

Seeing Naruto pinned under her, Hinata's face turned red, feeling embarrassed. She was about to get up when she suddenly felt her lips touch something. Before she could react, she looked at Naruto in confusion.

Chu!

This time, louder and more straightforward, Naruto's lips lightly touched Hinata's mouth and then separated.

"N-Naruto-kun, wh-what are you doing?"

Hinata's eyes, already shy, turned into a tomato, and steam seemed to be coming out of her head. She didn't even know what she was doing.

"K-Kissing, I saw men and women on the street sometimes doing this, but I didn't feel anything."

Naruto weirdly touched his own mouth, feeling only that Hinata's lips were soft like jelly, and he didn't have any other thoughts.

...

Umino Iruka had fantasized countless times about meeting Naruto, a child who had faced many cold stares since he was young. His heart must be in turmoil. All he wanted to do was take care of him like a younger brother and warm his young heart. It was this feeling of empathy that made him quicken his pace and arrive at Naruto's address.

However...

"What is this?!"

Iruka hid at Naruto's doorstep, holding his head in confusion. It was his fault for opening Naruto's door without knocking, but what did he see? A little girl was lying on top of Naruto, and Naruto happened to be kissing her with his mouth.

"Phew, it must be that I didn't open the door properly. Naruto must be crying in a corner, that's it."

Iruka took a deep breath and opened the door again, but what he saw was Naruto lifting his head and giving a small kiss to the same girl's mouth.

"Naruto, what are you doing?!" (°д°)

"Huh, who are you?"

"Ugh, ugh, ahh!"

Hinata's sense of shame had reached its limit. After seeing a stranger, it instantly exploded. She pushed Iruka away and ran out of Naruto's house.

"Naruto, I misjudged you! Even if you were bullied when you were young, you shouldn't be doing these things! How old are you? When you grow up, you'll become a scumbag who deceives girls!"

Hinata's actions deepened the misunderstanding even more, and Iruka, frustrated, grabbed Naruto's collar and scolded him.

"What are you saying?"

Naruto realized that although this person was speaking the language of the Fire Country, he couldn't understand at all. He looked at him dazedly.

"Anyway, you have to apologize to that girl later!"

"Oh."

"Let me introduce myself. I'm Umino Iruka, and starting tomorrow, I'll be your teacher."

"Teacher, Iruka-sensei?"

Naruto looked at the older man with scars on his face, feeling both angry and disappointed. Although they were meeting for the first time, he didn't despise Naruto like others did. He was angry, but it felt more like he was angry at his own younger brother.

"Yes, not only will I teach you school subjects, but I'll also teach you how to be a good person. Bullying girls like this is absolutely unacceptable, understand?"

Iruka sat heavily on the floor, feeling deeply disappointed in Naruto. But then he thought that Naruto had no parents and no one to teach him right from wrong, and he felt sympathy. His expression softened a bit as he spoke seriously.

"Oh... What does it mean to bully girls?"

"It's what you just did... that, kissing..."

Iruka expressed his meaning somewhat awkwardly and thought it was a bit of a failure. Naruto, who was so young, could already kiss girls, while he was in his twenties and hadn't even touched a girl's hand. What a failure.

"Huh? So all those people on the street were bullying girls?"

"Cough, not exactly. If the girl just now is your girlfriend, then it's fine."

"She's not my girlfriend."

"Right."

"She's my fiancée."

Naruto thought for a moment and used his limited vocabulary to say.

"!?!"

Bachelor Iruka was dealt tons of damage.